University of Rochester
Ballet Performance Group

Pam's Place

 

Since right after the group’s inception in 1996, Pamela Wilkens-White has played an integral role in the Ballet Performance Group. On top of choreographing and teaching the classical ballet pieces for BPG’s shows, she also serves as a mentor and informal advisor to the group.

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Pam started dancing at the age of 4 and had a prolific dancing career, performing in famous ballets such as Romeo and Juliet and The Nutcracker, among many others, for over 20 years in the Mercury Ballet (the predecessor of the Rochester City Ballet).

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Much of Pam’s career has been dedicated to dance education, both for children and adults. For the past 43 years, Pam has managed her dance school, Pamela Wilkens-White School of Ballet, teaching children and adults six days a week. She also worked with Young Audiences — a traveling nonprofit group teaching arts education to children — for 20 years.

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It was her interest in dance education that first brought her to BPG. In the fall of 1997, an acquaintance of Pam's (Karen Mackie, who was a professor at the Warner School of Education and a teacher for the Dance Department) told her about a new dance group in search of a classical ballet teacher. She has been part of the BPG family ever since!

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In addition to her choreography, Pam lends her dance wisdom to BPG’s members. She is always available to share her guidance and assistance to BPG.

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Pam has witnessed the group grow from just over 10 members in 1997 to its current size of over 80 members. She has stayed with the group because she enjoys working with BPG’s dancers and teaching at a wide variety of dance levels. Both BPG and Pam are looking forward to many more years of cooperation, productivity, and growth under her watchful and caring eye.